Cargill reduces antibiotics from feed yards

Cargill is eliminating 20% of shared-class antibiotics, those deemed important for human medicine and farm animals, from its 4 feed yards in Texas, Kansas and Colorado, and 4 additional feed yards operated by its strategic business partner Friona Industries.

The total number of cattle involved annually is approximately 1.2 million. Implementation of this decision builds upon Cargill's 2014 decision to eliminate growth promoting antibiotics from its US turkey business, which was completed in time for the 2015 holiday turkey season and underscores the company's stated commitment to reduce the use of human antibiotics in food production.

US meat producer, Cargill's Honeysuckle White and Shady Brook Farms, will be the first major turkey brand to remove growth-promoting antibiotics from all turkeys across the independent farms they work with, without charging a premium price.

Cargill will also continue to explore alternatives to antibiotics that could further reduce their use in beef cattle. This will be done by collaborating with cattle ranchers, researchers, universities and allied partners to identify production practices. Research projects are underway with the focus on topics ranging from nutrition to feeding practices, including work done by Cargill Animal Nutrition.